Nandigram (East Midnapore): A Ram temple, modelled on Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir, would be constructed in Nandigram, state leader of opposition and Nandigram MLA Suvendu Adhikari announced on Monday.
The temple is expected to be built on 4 bighas (1.5 acres) of land that is in Adhikari’s name. The BJP neta announced that the temple’s foundation stone would be laid on Ram Navami, April 6, at 10am.
Trinamool alleged that Adhikari “purchased this land from MPLAD funds” at a very low price when he was a TMC MP to build a hospital for Nandigram’s martyr families. TMC functionaries said Adhikari could build a temple if he wanted to but should also build a hospital along with it. BJP said there was no controversy over the land acquisition, claiming TMC only wanted to create one.
Ram temples are not new to Nandigram. The place has a temple of Ram, built in 1803 AD, believed to be among Bengal’s oldest. It’s called the Janakinath Temple and Ram’s idol, incidentally, does not have bows and arrows. Adhikari has been a big patron of this temple.
The Ram temple announcement comes after CM Mamata Banerjee announced the April 30 inauguration of Jagannath Dham in Digha. This temple complex — Bengal’s largest — is coming up only 87 kms away from Nandigram, over 22 acres of land with its sanctum sanctorum at a height of 214 feet.
Adhikari said: “The construction of the Ram temple is beginning on nearly four bighas of land in Gangra, at the southern end of Nandigram. It is modelled on Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir. Everyone is requested to arrive by 9.30am after bathing and applying tilak on April 6.”
He also emphasised that while people should have emotions for religious festivals, it should not lead to chaos, urging everyone to practise their faith peacefully.
TMC’s Nandigram-1 president Bappaditya Garg said: “Suvendu purchased this land in Gangra mouza from Sunil Mondal and Purnima Mondal while he was a Trinamool MP. The land was bought at a very low price to build a hospital for martyrs and it was registered in Suvendu’s name.”
“It was supposed to be transferred to a trust for the martyrs, but now the BJP MLA plans to build a temple on it, forgetting about the martyrs,” he added.
Garg claimed “at one point, Suvendu claimed to have purchased land for a hospital for martyrs in Sonachura using MPLAD funds, spending Rs 14 lakh. This was mentioned in a printed booklet. Additionally, land was purchased in Nandigram’s Bhangaberia for a martyrs’ park using nearly Rs 1 lakh from MPLAD funds.”
Garg said he suspected that the temple was being built on the land intended for the hospital and planned to appeal to the district administration to investigate the source of funds for the land purchase.
Responding to the claims, Nandigram BJP functionary Meghnad Pal said: “Suvendu Adhikari has independently built a martyrs’ memorial in Sonachura and has consistently supported people involved in the land movement in Nandigram.”
“Trinamool does not want the Ram temple to be built here and is trying to oppose it in various ways. There is no room for controversy regarding the land,” Pal added.